Lobelia plant named ‘Wesloblue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Wesloblue’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy plant form; continuously and freely flowering habit; and dark blue-colored flowers with small white-colored eyes.

Botanical designation: Lobelia erinus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WESLOBLUE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia,botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Wesloblue’.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding programis to create new Lobelia cultivars with good vigor and attractive flowercoloration.

The new Lobelia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 2003 of a proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia erinus identifiedas code number 03P746, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent witha proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia erinus identified as codenumber 03P509, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newLobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant with the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grownin a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings inSüdlohn, Germany since 2004, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wesloblue have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wesloblue’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wesloblue’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofLobelia:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy        plant form.    -   4. Continuously and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Dark blue-colored flowers with small white-colored eyes.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Lobelia are pubescent whereas        leaves of plants of the female parent selection are glabrous.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia have smaller flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia have smaller sepals than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have light violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of the cultivarWesloarc, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,871. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Lobeliadiffered from plants of the cultivar Wesloarc in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia had finer lateral branches than        plants of the cultivar Wesloarc.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had smaller leaves than plants of        the cultivar Wesloarc.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Wesloarc.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia were darker blue in        color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Wesloarc.    -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia had smaller white eyes        than flowers of plants of the cultivar Wesloarc.

Plants of the new Lobelia can be compared to plants of the cultivarWeslobigblue, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,634. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Lobeliadiffered from plants of the cultivar Weslobigblue in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more upright and shorter than        plants of the cultivar Weslobigblue.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia had shorter internodes than plants        of the cultivar Weslobigblue.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Weslobigblue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Lobelia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Wesloblue’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower of ‘Wesloblue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Südlohn,Germany for about 20 weeks in containers. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from3,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time about two weeksafter planting.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus cultivar Wesloblue.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia            erinus identified as code number 03P746, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia            erinus identified as code number 03P509, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 14 to 18 days at 18° C. to 20°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 21 to 24 days at            18° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Semi-upright and mounding plant habit. Freely            branching habit with lateral branches developing at            potentially ever node; short internodes; dense and bushy            plant habit. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm to 22 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 35 cm to 45 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 13 cm to 21 cm.            Diameter: About 1.1 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length, basal leaves.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Width, basal leaves.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong to oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Emarginate to acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 137A; venation, 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 138A; venation, 138A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement/shape.—Flowers arranged singly at lateral            apices. Flowers held mostly outwardly. Flowers persistent.            Flowering freely and continuously; older flowers are            overgrown by new flowers and foliage. Flowers not fragrant.            Flowers tubular with three larger lower petals and two            upright petals.        -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the Germany.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on weather conditions; typically            about one week.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Depth (height): About            2 cm. Flower throat diameter: About 3.9 mm. Flower tube            length: About 7 mm. Flower tube diameter, at the base: About            2 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: 194B to 194C.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused;            three larger lower petals and two smaller upper petals.            Three lower petals: Shape: Oblong. Length, above throat:            About 1 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Two upper petals: Shape:            Spatulate. Length, above throat: About 6 mm. Width: About            2 mm. Upper and lower petals: Apex: Obtuse to cuspidate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower petals: When opening, upper            surface: 95A to 96A; eye, 155A. When opening, lower surface:            94D. Fully opened, upper surface: 96A; towards base of lower            petals, small white eye, 155A, with small spots, 93A; color            becoming closer to 95A with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: 97B. Throat: 155A; small spots, 93A. Tube: 94B            becoming closer to 97D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at            the base: star-shaped calyx. Length: About 4 mm. Width:            About 1 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 137A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 137A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            five. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: 187A. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 5A. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape:            Two-parted, ovate. Stigma color: N187A to N187B. Style            length: About 5 mm. Style color: 144B. Ovary color: 138A to            138B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 4° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Lobelia plant named ‘Wesloblue’ as illustrated anddescribed.